WTF, Eliot Spitzer?
I am feeling a little bit betrayed at the moment. Eliot Spitzer was my shining ideal of what a politician should be – not perfect by any means, but certainly upright, honest and direct.
Imagine my shock and disillusionment to find out that he is involved with a prostitution ring, after knowing him to be a crusader for the people, and knowing him to have busted up a small handful of prostitution rings in his time as NY attorney general?
I know that trust and belief in political leaders is hard-earned at best, and certainly not something I should expect, but Spitzer had been one of my few exceptions. I’ll certainly go on voting and participating in politics, no one figure is going to break me. But it’ll take a little time for the shock of this to wear off.
For those who didn’t know of Spitzer before today, let me put it this way. If it came out tomorrow that Barack Obama had ties to a prostitution ring, well, this would be a parallel.
This raises so many uncertainties: will he resign? Who will replace him as NY Governor? If Hillary is elected, his replacement will be appointing an interim Senator for her seat. What happens if he doesn’t resign? What implications will this scandal have for the Democratic party at large (if any?) Grr.
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Interesting how one of the articles you posted makes it seem like Spitzer came forward and confessed of his own accord, while the other makes it clear that he got busted by the feds first. Reporting bias at its finest!
I feel horrible for his wife and children. What a terrible tragedy for them. If you feel betrayed, how much worse must they feel right now?!
By the way, sorry I don’t comment more, but it sure is annoying to have to go to a whole new site and enter my name and email for the privilege of putting in my two cents.
Well, Spitzer had already tumbled from his lofty pedestal as a result of the Bruno debacle, so it’s just a capper on a shitacular year.
I can’t remember if the senate or the assembly gets to pick a new governor, though I want to say the senate. I think the Republicans have a 1 person majority in the senate.
On a side note, Clinton has already pulled Spitzer’s endorsement off her site.
The Lt. Governor replaces a Governor unable to complete his term for whatever reason.
(NYS Constitution, Article IV, Sections 5-6.)
the lieutenant gov, David Patterson, would become the gov if spitzer resigns. he would be the nation’s first blind governor. he would become the super-delegate (possible loss for Clinton, pick up for Obama) and if Clinton wins in august, this new guy would appoint her replacement.
I’m beginning to think that we should treat men in high political office as if they were randy teens at summer camp. Mix a bit of saltpeter into their scrambled eggs or afternoon martinis to calm their overactive libidos.
Having writ that, I Googled “saltpeter” only to discover that it was all an urban myth from my childhood and well before (see: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_221.html).
Now, I find myself doubly disillusioned.